Aero Commander 500-B accident near Mccook, Nebraska, November 24, 1992
On November 24, 1992 at about 1:47 am local time, a Aero Commander 500-B, registered N777CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccook, Nebraska (Mccook Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO DEPART IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE ICING CONDITIONS AND STRUCTURAL ICE WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1992 · about 1:47 am local time
- Place
- Mccook, Nebraska · Mccook Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500-B · all 500-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N777CM · registry record · serial 500B-1179-92
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE CRASHED ON AIRPORT PROPERTY AFTER REPORTING THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT DURING A NIGHT IFR APPROACH. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS 500 FEET OVERCAST WITH VISIBILITY RESTRICTED TO 1.5 MILES IN FREEZING DRIZZLE. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 9000 FEET BECAUSE OF STRUCTURAL ICING. HE ALSO REPORTED AN UNCOMMANDED DECREASE IN RPM IN THE LEFT ENGINE DURING THE EN ROUTE CLIMB. HE REPORTED TO ATC HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND REQUESTED AN 'IMMEDIATE' RETURN TO HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE STALLED AS HE WAS TURNING FROM LEFT BASE TO FINAL FOR THE LANDING RUNWAY. HE RECOVERED FROM THE STALL AND DECIDED TO 'PLACE' THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED ANOTHER STALL, 'A FEW FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND CRASHED.' A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED ICE BUILDUPS ON THE LEADING EDGE OF ALL AIRFOIL SURFACES AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WINGS. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE LEFT ENGINE OR PROPELLER SYSTEM.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,010 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 2,730 as pilot in command; 770 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,474 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 12, 1992; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HSI Hastings NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:43 am from MCK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N777CM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.